The Emirati National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC) and U-Space, a French smallsat constellation manufacturer, signed a major contract for the design and manufacture of a turnkey 12U satellite. It will be the precursor of a future constellation dedicated to the Emirati LEONAV programme, which aims at deploying a Low Earth Orbit, Positioning, Navigation and Timing (LEO PNT) service.
This contract is a major milestone for the NSSTC to demonstrate the delivery of a LEO PNT service in the area. As a committed player of the new-space industry with space-proven experience of similar projects, U-Space is eager to support the NSSTC on this programme and make it a full success.
This project embodies the long-term cooperation between France and the United Arab Emirates in Aerospace and Defense, with a sustained collaboration between the UAE Space Agency and the CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales), illustrating a shared desire to share skills and technologies, and to support innovative companies within the two countries capable of meeting the technological and industrial challenges of the future.